Textured film finished panels and doors

ABSTRACT

THIS INVENTION PERTAINS TO EMBOSSED DECORATIVE PATTERNS AND DECORATIVE LAMINATES, PARTICULARLY TEXTURED FILM FINISHED PANELS AND DOORS AND THE METHOD OF MANUFACTURE WHEREIN A WADDING SHEET OR PAD SHEET IS INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE SURFACE FILM AND THE SUBSTRATE. HIGH QUALITY EMBOSSED PRODUCTS OF GREAT DURABILITY ARE ECONOMICALLY MANUFACTURED BY THIS TECHNIQUE.

June 12, 1973 w. A. MATZKE TEXTURED FILM FINISHED PANELS AND DOORS Filed Aug. 18, 1971 INVENTOR WILLIAM A MATZKE ATTORNEY.

Patented June 12, 1973 3,738,900 TEXTURED FILM FINISHED PANELS AND DOORS William A. Matzke, Mahopac, N.Y., assignor to Champion International Corporation, New York, N.Y. Filed Aug. 18, 1971, Ser. No. 172,670 Int. Cl. 133% 1/04, 3/02 US. Cl. 161-41 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention pertains to embossed decorative patterns and decorative laminates, particularly textured film finished panels and doors and the method of manufacture wherein a wadding sheet or pad sheet is interposed between the surface film and the substrate. High quality embossed products of great durability are economically manufactured by this technique.

The present invention is broadly concerned with embossed decorative patterns and with decorative laminates, and with the method of manufacture. The invention is more particularly concerned with textured film finished panels and doors of high quality wherein a sheet of wadding or pad is utilized to secure uniform and even embossing of the surface film.

It is well known in the art to apply a surface film to a substrate and then to emboss or texture the film by various techniques. Generally it is necessary to abrade the substrate to secure a very smooth surface, remove the abrading particles, laminate the film, and then emboss the film. Usually the embossing is accomplished by the use of very expensive engraved or etched metal caul plates or rollers.

The prior technique is expensive, and it has many disadvantages; one of which is that due to the varying densities throughout a substrate the embossing in many instances is non-uniform and thus is less attractive. This is particularly the situation in the manufacture of textured doors wherein the densities between the stiles, rails and core vary greatly.

It is also well known that pre-embossed films can be laminated to produce a decorative textured product. This technique also has several disadvantages which add significantly to the cost of the final product. One of which is the loss of a great deal of texture during the laminating process. Consequently, heavy gauge films are required for this type operation. Another problem with this methodis unless large quantites are involved, pattern changes are very costly.

The present invention overcomes these difiiculties and secures very high quality products using a one step economical process. The present technique secures a film finish of a textured appearance preferably in a one step hot press operation. The invention may be readily understood by reference to the drawing illustrating one adaptation of the same, particularly for the manufacture of a high quality textured door; a wall panel being generally similar. The drawing is an end view of the door showing application of the various laminates.

Referring particularly to the drawing, the figure illustrates a core substrate 1 which may be of any suitable rigid material. Generally the core comprises a plurality of uniform wood sections a, b, 0, etc. which are rigidly adhered one to another by means of a suitable adhesive. The core may also comprise other material such as the various hardboard panels, Masonite (trademark Masonite Corp.), rigid fibrous mats, mineral cores, Weldrok (trademark Champion International Corporation) and the like. With respect to a door it is preferred that the thickness of the core be in the range from about to 2% such as about 1%. The other dimensions of the core, such as length and width, are adjusted with respect to its ultimate end use.

It is also preferred that cross band veneer sheets (or skins as they are known) 2 and 3 be adhered to both faces of the core 1, wherein the grains of the sheets 2 and 3 are at right angles to the grain of the core. These cross band sheets or skins may be of any suitable material, such as thin phenolic backing sheets but are preferably thin plywood veneers having a thickness in the range from about to A" such as about In accordance with the present invention pad sheets or wadding sheets 4 and 5 are then afiixed by means of a suitable adhesive, preferably a self contained adhesive to the cross band veneers 2 and 3. These wadding sheets, i.e., resilient pads, are of uniform flexibility throughout their entire surface area so that when an impressing element is applied to the face of the film sheets, which are adhered to the pad sheets, a uniform and regular esthetic decorative pattern will be secured. It is preferred that the thickness of these resilient pads be in the range from about .035" to .008" such as about .012". The basic weights preferred are in the range from about 30-120 lbs. per 24 x 36/ 500 sheets reams.

These resilient wadding sheets may be of any type of material that will not deteriorate under hot press conditions. It is preferred that the pads be resin saturated pads which function in the dual capacity of serving as a conforming component to receive the texture and also as the bonding sheet for the face films finish. These pads may be comprised of synthetic or natural fibrous sheets, also including fiber glass reinforced plastic (FRP). The resin system incorporated in the pad may be a urea formaldehyde system or a phenol formaldehyde system or a polyester system.

Thus the fibrous sheets, or pads are for example cellulose, such as alpha cellulose, fiber glass, jute, crepe paper, or a polyester resin saturated paper. A very desirable crepe paper is of the type saturated with a phenol formaldehyde resin manufactured by Kimberly-Clark Corporation. If the pad is a pigmented pad, then the resin should be a clear polyester system such as the type manufactured by Riverside Laboratories, Inc.

Film face sheets 6 and 7 are rigidly aflixed to wadding sheets 4 and 5. As pointed out heretofore this is secured preferably by the use of resin impregnated resilient pad sheets. These film sheets may comprise any suitable surface film such as Tedlar (trademark Du Pont) film, i.e., polyvinyl fluoride, an acrylic film such as Korad (trademark Rohm & Haas), or a polyester film such as Mylar (trademark Du Pont). The thickness of the film is in the range from about /2 mil (.0005") to 3 mils (.003") such as about 1% mils (.0015").

These films are flexible thermoplastic sheets which may be either clear, pigmented, metalized or printed. Since the films are percent solids, they produce a uniform uninterrupted dry finish on the final product.

A very desirable panel element is secured when the face film is clear and the wadding or pad is pigmented with the desirable color. This combination of the pigmented pad showing through the clear film produces a very pleasing and desirable aesthetic appearance.

One important aspect of the invention is to apply a film finish, develop a texture and manufacture a complete door assembly or other laminated product in a one step hot press operation. Thus a prefinished textured door or other decorative laminated product is obtained directly from the press operation. This is secured by positioning all elements or veneers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in the press (not shown) between the press plates or press rollers and then adhering all elements one to the other using suitable adhesives or glues. As pointed out heretofore it is preferred that the resilient wads be impregnated with an adhesive resin system.

The press temperatures are preferably in the range from about 200 F. to 400 F. such as about 300 F. The pressures are preferably in the range from about 130 p.s.i. to 200 psi. such as about 170 p.s.i. The length of press operation is preferably in the range from about minutes to minutes such as about 7 minutes.

The etching or patterning elements may be the rolls or plates of the press itself, but are preferably impression sheets 8 and 9 which are positioned in the press with the entire assembly. These impression sheets 8 and 9 have embossing patterns 10 and 11 on their surfaces for imparting the desired pattern of face films 6 and 7. Due to the resilient wadding sheets the patterns imparted to the face sheets are uniform and regular.

Thus the present technique produces a textured face film fiinshed panel or other laminated product in a one step process. This eliminates, as stated above, other expensive processing steps such as sanding, laminating and embossing. By the use of resilient elements adjacent the face films uniformity and regularity of the embossed designs are assured on the face films. Also the present technique permits the use of lower grade materials since the pad or wadding masks substrate defects.

Furthermore by the present technique the face film can be embossed on a pad sheet which pad sheet is adhered to a phenolic backing sheet or equivalent. Thus a thin textured laminate is produced which thin laminate can be applied to particular areas such as door edges. Thus a very desirable monolithic appearance is produced with texture on both the faces and edges of the door. A very desirable result which is secured is that the index of refraction of light of the final product is reduced, and produces a more aesthetically acceptable appearance. Also the present process secures a product which minimizes the problems of burnishiug and marring. Other advantages can also be easily obtained.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An embossed structural element which comprises an embossed face film adhered to an intermediate resilient pad adhered to a base substrate, and wherein said structural element comprises a door wherein said substrate comprises a wood veneer and a wood core, wherein said pad is a resin saturated pad, and wherein said face film is a thermoplastic flexible sheet.

2. Structural element as defined by claim 1 wherein said pad is a pigmented pad saturated with a clear polyester resin, and wherein said flexible sheet is a clear sheet.

3. A uniformly embossed structural door which comprises in combination an embossed face film, a resin saturated resilient pad, at least one cross band wood veneer, and a wood core, said embossed face film adhered to said resin saturated resilient pad which is adhered to said cross band wood veneer which in turn is adhered to said wood core.

4. Structural door as defined by claim 3 wherein said face film is a clear polyvinyl fluoride film having a thickness in the range of about /2 mil to 3 mils, wherein said pad is a pigmented pad saturated with a polyester resin and having a thickness in the range of about .035 to about .008, wherein said wood veneer has a thickness in the range of about to about and wherein said core has a thickness in the range of about to about 2 4".

5. Structural door as defined by claim 4 wherein said pad consists essentially of crepe paper.

6. Structural door as defined by claim 4 wherein said pad consists essentially of pigmented polyester saturated paper.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,374 5/1933 Loetscher 156258 X 1,943,701 1/l934 Sprague 161-l36 X 3,168,763 2/1965 Gilbert 161-38 WILLIAM A. POWELL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

